10.5061/DRYAD.C682F
Schultner, Eva
University of Helsinki
Saramäki, Jari
Aalto University
Helanterä, Heikki
University of Helsinki
Data from: Genetic structure of native ant supercolonies varies in space
and time
Dryad
dataset
2016
Formica
Formica aquilonia
ant supercolonies
2016-11-09T21:01:24Z
2016-11-09T21:01:24Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.13912
176667 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Ant supercolonies are the largest cooperative units known in nature. They
consist of networks of interconnected nests with hundreds of reproductive
queens, where individuals move freely between nests, cooperate across nest
boundaries and show little aggression towards non-nestmates. The
combination of high queen numbers and free mixing of workers, queens and
brood between nests results in extremely low nestmate relatedness. In such
low-relatedness societies, cooperative worker behaviour appears
maladaptive because it may aid random individuals instead of relatives.
Here, we provide a comprehensive picture of genetic substructure in
supercolonies of the native wood ant Formica aquilonia using traditional
population genetic as well as network analysis methods. Specifically, we
test for spatial and temporal variation in genetic structure of different
classes of individuals within supercolonies and analyse the role of worker
movement in determining supercolony genetic networks. We find that
relatedness within supercolonies is low but positive when viewed on a
population level, which may be due to limited dispersal of individuals
and/or ecological factors such as nest site limitation and competition
against conspecifics. Genetic structure of supercolonies varied with both
sample class and sampling time point, which indicates that mobility of
individuals varies according to both caste and season and suggests that
generalizing has to be carried out with caution in studies of
supercolonial species. Overall, our analysis provides novel evidence that
native wood ant supercolonies exhibit fine-scale genetic substructure,
which may explain the maintenance of cooperation in these low-relatedness
societies.
Genotypes from two Formica aquilonia supercoloniesMYLA_allSamples_Genotypes.txt